Although this blog spanned over two years, I never explicitly discussed my love life whilst traveling, with exception to a few, yet sporadic, unapologetically cocky remarks - perhaps I avoided the topic at the risk of my blog turning into a male-version of Bridget Jones's Diary. Yet, in all faith, my interactions with the opposite sex actually reserved a fair bit of my life on the road and supplied numerous and exciting adventures.
In this post, I divided my love life abroad into three distinct sections: finding love, random love, and leaving love - it seemed like those three categories created the bulk of my stories (and headaches). Don't expect any hilarious or sensational tales; you'll have to buy me a beer for those.
- Finding Love -
Without a doubt, the most common question I fielded about this subject was, "Where do you meet women?"
While I hate to respond so vaguely, the honest answer is, "Anywhere."
Sure, you can find it on the dance floors of a crowded nightclub or by the bar in a noisy pub. But as one man explained so well, the best method to find a woman is to go into your life as far as you can and meet them there. Granted, sarging with a few, close mates always supplies great entertainment - but in reality, there exists limitless opportunities.
In my experience, love can be found in a bus or on the street; it can be found in a bookstore or in a gym; it exists in restaurants, cafes, stores, or even in queues. No script binds you:
It's everywhere.
- Random Love -
Surprisingly, I'm not alluding to one-night - or even two-night - stands, which often result from lust and artificially lowered inhibitions (not that that's necessarily a bad thing, haha).
I'm referring to love without attachments. Love without desire or need. Love that shines forth because it beams from within. Love that exists because you love, in the truest sense of the word.
For example, one Spring afternoon, I attended a spectacular wedding in the Shilin District of Taipei, boasting delicious food and a curious blend of tradition and modernity (customary dishes plus light sabers??). Afterward, they distributed an impressive Tiffany & Co. box set to all patrons - one quite large and another the size of a ring box - with assorted chocolates and sweets inside.
While returning home on the subway, I shared a brief conversation with a Columbian-Taiwanese girl who couldn't speak a lick of English or Spanish (¡ay mierda!). She seemed very sweet and shy, so I gave her my ring-box-sized wedding gift. Well, I could tell I hit something when I noticed her gently feeling the ribbon of the box - she was glowing. I alighted with a smile, and couldn't help but think that I just made her day that much better.
And that's all I wanted.
- Leaving Love -
No easy task, for certain.
The time may eventually come where, in spite of whatever relationships you've fostered, you must to depart. It could be another opportunity elsewhere. It could be the allure of new travels, countries, and cultures. Maybe the duration of your stay didn't allow enough time. Or perhaps some unforeseen situation forced your decision.
Regardless, sometimes even the best of relationships must end.
I'm not going to pretend I know exactly how to face the resulting emotional struggles or pain - hell, I still beat my head over love abandoned. However, I always believed those difficulties presented a massive opportunity for inner growth.
And what about the possibility that - sometime, somewhere - you and your partner might meet again? The circumstances could be tremendously different, but who knows - there's always time for old friends.
